May '03 [Home]
Series/Event Reviews
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May '03 [Home] Series/Event Reviews 'Paddling Companionably Ere All Have Flown Away':
by Sharon Olinka
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| . | . | . | One of the major literary gatherings in Europe, this year's festival brought together a culturally diverse group of writers to read on the theme of Exile. Although there weren't many Americans, I didn't feel left out, nor was I struck by anti-American sentiment on the streets of Galway as a result of the Iraq war. The war itself was referred to during the Cúirt Festival more than once, most notably by poets George Evans and Daisy Zamora. The Irish Independent, a daily, quoted Daisy Zamora under a headline that read, 'Poet Speaks Out Against the War.' Ireland, as we know, takes the views of poets seriously. Thank God for that. The writers who read this year at the Cúirt included Ariel Dorfman, author of Death and the Maiden, Moris Farhi [review: Mar '03], Bei Dao, Andre Brink, and Billy Collins. There were panel discussions, translators, plays, and Galway's own version of a poetry slam, which was on the theme of "the city." The slam winner got a trip to Paris. The slam itself was delightful, its participants better behaved than anything I ever witnessed during the heyday of the Nuyorican. New York's own Rattapallax Press also had a magazine publication party at the Cuirt, for Short Fuse. Most of the events were centrally held at Town Hall, and beautifully scheduled, with breaks between readings. This allowed poets to drink a Guinness or two at the bar, have lunch, and socialize. I want to compliment the administrative staff of the Cúirt for their professionalism, particularly Norma Flaherty, who went the extra mile to make all the readers and visitors feel at home. My memories of this year's Cúirt include looking out at the Corrib River from my hotel room. Reading poems that described war crimes and political oppression while hearing the cry of gulls. Rain, mist, and swans gliding on the Corrib. And of course, the day a group of writers went for an outing in Connemara, and poet Rody Gorman from the Isle of Skye recited that wonderful Yeats poem, "The Wild Swans at Coole," [*] as we all bounced along in the car. How the rocky landscape stretched out before us! How light words seemed, pure in the clear air. And the constant pull of the water, deep sea-smell, brine, and hidden pearls. (Sharon Olinka is a frequent contributor to the magazine. A special selection of her poems and an essay about the destruction of Smyrna in 1922 appeared in the Sep '02 issue. She lives in New York.)  The Galway Arts Centre produced a detailed web page about the festival. |